


揭穿 (Expose)

by Byeolbit (KhonshusKnight)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: A LOT of Angst, Dad AU, M/M, Mistakes were made, Mpreg, cuteness, famous au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:20:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21599050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KhonshusKnight/pseuds/Byeolbit
Summary: Tao would not say he made the right choice when he found out he was pregnant, but he could say he was at least trying to make it right.
Relationships: Huang Zi Tao | Z.Tao/Wu Yi Fan | Kris
Comments: 3
Kudos: 89
Collections: #BabyMakingFest2019





	揭穿 (Expose)

**Author's Note:**

> Code : BMF162
> 
> Pairing : Zitao/Yifan
> 
> Carrier : Zitao
> 
> Pregnancy : Pre/during pregnancy
> 
> Babies : Only one
> 
> Prompt : Huang Zitao met his ex, now a famous celebrity, Kris Wu after 7 years. It would not be much of a problem if not for child Tao is hiding from Kris. 
> 
> Title from; Tao's own song 揭穿, I personally recommend listening to this song, [with lyrics](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3Unpwd51z8) and [live](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdRpSvrf_4Q)
> 
> To my wonderful prompter - I really hope that you enjoy this, I hope this was what you were looking for because I honestly fell in love with this story, and I really hope you do too. 
> 
> Thank you to T who listened to be whine about this fic getting away from me as I just couldn't stop writing and then read the whole thing because I just needed someone else to see it before I could say it was good. I love you. 
> 
> Thank you to the mods who gave me the chance to write this fic and who basically ran this fest so this fic would have an ending because honestly, without that deadline I'd probably be writing Tao/Kris and their lives for years and years because I love them that much. 
> 
> And Finally, thank you, yes you, reading this fic, even if you're a silent reader. I hope you enjoy watching Tao make a mess and try his best to mend things, I hope you enjoy Kris just trying his best and most of all I hope you fall in love with them the way I have. I would love it if you left a kudos or a comment, but even if you don't, thank you so much for giving this work a chance.

The result was pretty obvious. Tao had taken four pregnancy tests now. He wanted to cry. He couldn't do this. It wasn't what he signed up for. Well he knew he technically signed up for it. He knew that by having sex it was a chance but still. They'd bee careful, always. Tao had been tested as a child and he knew from a young age that he was capable of getting pregnant but this wasn't right. This wasn't fair. He had his whole life ahead of him to get pregnant but it had happened now. He was in a stable relationship and it was something he knew one hundred percent was stable. He knew that he was going to have Kris for the rest of his life, that he was going to be with the man forever. Kris had debuted a few years ago and was doing so well in the industry. Tao was still a trainee - and that was going to be a thing, telling his manager that he was pregnant. He wanted the baby, that much he was actually sure of. He knew deep down that he was meant to be a parent and he knew that Kris was meant to be the father of his child. He took a slow breath and left the bathroom, hiding the pregnancy tests. He needed to keep this a secret until he'd told Kris and they could decide what they were going to do about it. Tao knew that Kris would want their child. They had discussed the chance of them having children in the future and Kris was always enthusiastic about the idea of having little ones running around. He loved the idea of Kris and a toddler, or Kris and a little ones first day and then Kris when they had their first date. Tao didn't know where to go Kris was away from Seoul right now. 

Tao always found it kind of ironic that on his first day at the company he'd met Kris, another Chinese guy, who had made him feel at home, even when he was so far away from it. He didn't understand how it was even possible to just come across someone who was such a good fit for you in your first real attempt. Kris had really taken Tao under his wing and protected him. Helping him find places to eat, to shop, places where he could go when the stress of training got too much. Tao had fallen for Kris slowly at first and then all at once, and he'd gotten far too drunk at a company event where he then turned up at Kris' dorm and told him that he was in love with him, although Tao was sure that slurring _I think I love you_ wasn't the most romantic way to confess your feelings. Kris had just tucked Tao into his bed and left a glass of water on the bedside table. Drunk Tao had cried because Kris didn't love him enough to sleep with him, but sober Tao knew that Kris cared for him when he saw the water and also the fact that Kris didn't take advantage of him while he was drunk and oh-so willing to give Kris whatever he'd asked for. 

Kris had taken Tao to the Han River a few days later and they'd opened up about their feelings. It was really romantic - although it only had to beat the smell of cheap tequilla and sambuca and someone slurring their words before drunk crying. Kris was really a true gentleman - Tao could even remember their first kiss and it still made his heart beat a little faster. God he wanted Kris here right now. He really wished he'd waited until Kris had gotten back to take the tests, then they could have found out together and it wouldn't have felt like he was doing something awful and hiding something from the man he loved. He sighed when his phone beeped, it was Kris asking him if he was feeling better. He typed a simple reply. He needed to stop complaining about the fact that he was feeling unwell, because he wasn't. He was just growing a life. He wasn't sure if it was safe for him to go to dance class - is it safe to dance while pregnant? He wasn't entirely sure google would give him an answer. 

Tao did google it because he was going to freak out if he didn't and then found out later. He felt sick when he saw that hip-hop, urban and street dance aren't recommend while pregnant. He told the dance instructor the injury in his knees was playing up and sat out the session. He got a warning look from another trainee - and he knew that when he got back to the trainee dorm he'd get a lecture about how if it's not that serious he should continue dancing because he will be putting his debut at risk. Although, Tao knew that once he told Kris he'd probably leave the company. They weren't going to debut him if he had a child - and he understood that, but while he didn't want to give up on his dream, he knew he wanted to keep the baby. It was the only thing that he was actually sure of in this moment. He decided to start packing his things up. Kris would be back in two days and then he would tell him and leave. Hopefully by then he would have decided what he was going to do. Maybe he should go back to Qingdao and have the child surrounded by his family, as Kris would be away in Korea and being himself and talented and adored. 

Tao had no idea how exactly to tell Kris - he couldn't just outright say it. What if Kris didn't want the child? He lay on his back looking up at the ceiling, ear buds in as he thought about everything. He should probably think more about how he was going to do all of this but first he had to tell Kris. He wanted their baby to have both parents and he secretly hoped Kris would want to get them a place, or find them somewhere to stay together while maintaining his career. He wasn't going to ask Kris to quit his job, to stop doing what he loved, but he did want him around. He bit his lip, hand resting on his still flat stomach, his mind racing. He just wished there was an easier way to do this. A way that didn't feel so complicated. He didn't feel like there should be a choice between music and family, he loved Kris and he loved music, but also he knew the baby was always going to come first in his life. He loved it already, and he knew that Kris was going to love them already. 

He had been avoiding everyone for a few days, trying to act like he was sick. He smiled when he got the text from Kris, he had arrived back at the company. Tao got changed into something he knew Kris liked, his tight jeans that he knew he wouldn't be able to wear soon, and a slightly oversized jumper. He walked through the company when he was brought out of his thoughts by someone calling his name. He turned when he saw Kris' manager and he nodded. "Yes?" He said following the man who had something to say. 

"So. you're pregnant." the manager said flatly. 

"How do you know?" Tao said quietly. 

"The trainee manager said you were acting weird and then they went into your room and found the positive tests." Tao had known the managers could go through their things and look for things, it was part of being a trainee, but this part was something he had wished could have been kept a secret. 

"I haven't known long." He said quietly. "I haven't told Kris yet, please let me tell him." 

"Ah. that." the manager paused, "about that, we don't think you should tell him." Tao felt sick, his hand moved protectively over the small being growing inside him. 

"I'm keeping them." Tao said with fierceness that he wasn't entirely sure he could muster before, but he had to protect this life and he would do anything to do that. 

"I'm not saying you can't. I just need to protect Kris and his career. You should think about that. You need to break up with him before he finds out about your secret." 

"Our baby. You want me to keep our baby from him?" 

"His career is about to take off, he's about to land his biggest role. I cannot let you ruin it." The manager sneered at Tao, "you really think he'll want you and your kid after you ruin his entire career. He's dreamt of a role like this since I've known him. But be my guest to go take his dream off him."

Tao couldn't breathe, what if he really did ruin Kris' life he'd grow to resent him, and even worse he'd hate the child growing inside him. "I love him." He said softly, trying his best not to cry, he was so scared, he knew he wanted to keep the baby but he was so scared. 

"I can get you on a plane out here tonight, you can just go, and Kris doesn't have to know. You don't have to completely ruin his life." 

Tao packed up his bags, trying his best not to cry, he needed to just get out. He needed to leave before he saw Kris and told him everything and ruined his career and made him hate him. He had to go. He had to go for the sake everyone. He didn't want to do this. He wanted Kris in their baby's life but if this was the only way to keep him safe then he would. He left and went to the airport, he was going home. He wanted to be home. He wanted to be with his mom who would tell him everything was going to be okay and that he could do this. He wanted to be able to do this. When he landed in China, he travelled to Qingdao, trying his best to keep it together. He arrived home and cried into the arms of his mother as he explained to her that he was pregnant and had run away from Korea. He tried to explain it as best as he could. He loved Kris and he wanted him to have the best life. He had been afraid of hurting him and ruining his career but he didn't want to be alone during all of this. 

Tao spent days lying in his bed, in one of Kris' jumpers than he'd ended up stealing by accident. His phone constantly going off with messages from Kris. 

Kris > Tao: Tao, you've left Korea and the company, why didn't you tell me? 

Kris > Tao: are you okay? 

Kris > Tao: why aren't you talking to me? 

Kris > Tao: I love you. Please don't do this. 

Kris > Tao: Tao... what did I do wrong?

Kris > Tao: please, just tell me you're okay. 

Tao ignored all the messages, he hated it. He wanted to just pick up his phone and call the other, tell him he had had to go home because he was pregnant and that it was Kris' but then that would negate the whole running away thing. Tao's parents were worried about him, he didn't really eat and spent most of his time curled up in bed asleep. They wanted to make sure that he and the baby were going to be okay, but they weren't sure how to get Tao to get up and eat something. They managed to convince Tao to eat something and booked him in with a doctor. Tao was quiet the whole ride over to the doctors, he didn't want to talk to his parents about it. No one understood what he was going through. His father kept telling him that they should go after the biological father because it wasn't right to abandon someone while they were pregnant. Tao didn't have the energy to tell him _again_ that Kris hadn't abandoned them because he didn't know there was a _them_ and if anyone was abandoning anyone then it was him who was leaving Kris. 

The doctor confirmed the pregnancy, and Tao listened as the doctor told him what he had to do to ensure that the child would be safe. He was glad that they didn't try to tell him that he had choices. Because he'd made his choice, and his choice was to be a parent. He loved the baby already and he was sure that if the doctor told him he could or should end this that he'd call Kris crying. He was trying his hardest to be strong and not call Kris - because he couldn't. He didn't want to ruin his life and he had just gotten cast in amazing film. Tao just wished that it was simple, and that he could be with the man he loved and their child. This was supposed to be the happiest time in his life, he was pregnant with the man he loved most in the world, but here he was crying in the car home from his doctors appointment. 

He decided that he was going to do everything he could to have a healthy pregnancy. He was going to love the child enough for Kris as well and he was going to be able to do this. He picked up his supplements and tried to find a job, he wanted to have a baby in their own place. He didn't want people to feel sorry for him, he had made this choice - because he had to and he was more than happy to have a child with the man he loved. A baby was a blessing and he was beyond blessed to be carrying Kris' child. 

He found a job in a publishing house, thanks to having family connections they were able to overlook the fact he was pregnant and hired him. He enjoyed his job, it gave him enough money to be able to afford an apartment in Qingdao, that he began setting up to look the way he wanted it to. Carefully decorating the room for his child, wanting everything to be perfect to make up for the fact that she was not going to have her dad in her life. 

He began showing, which meant telling more people he was pregnant and not with the father of his child anymore, people looked down at him - but he didn't really care. He was bringing a beautiful life into this world. He found it hard, when he had the scan that told him that he was having a little girl. He spent that whole night sat in what would be her room, staring at his phone, desperately wanting to text Kris and tell him everything, he wanted the other to come to Qingdao, he wanted him to be here and hold him. He wanted him to hear her heartbeat. He wanted to tell him everything, sitting in the room, looking at what he was preparing for, hand resting on his small bump. "I'm sorry princess." He said quietly. "I'm really sorry that your dad isn't here. I miss him so much - but he's filming a movie, I'll call him after, after his career takes off and he can know about us and he won't hate me for ruining everything." Although, deep down he felt like Kris would be more hurt to know that he did not know about their child. But his hormones were telling him that it would never be okay, he had to do this alone and it was scary. 

He spent a lot of nights sat in what would be his daughters room, hand on his bump, talking to her. He told her about her dad, it was all he wanted, he wanted them to be together. He would spend nights awake looking at his phone, staring at the messages he had last gotten from Kris. 

Kris > Tao: I've called you like 50 times why won't you answer?

Kris > Tao: If you fell out of love with me can you just tell me. Can you just break my heart quickly instead of like this? 

Kris > Tao: I found one of your rings... Please call me, I promise if it's done then I can accept it. 

Kris > Tao: I love you, and I don't know why, but I love you Tao, you left months ago and I still fucking love you. 

Kris > Tao: Please just text back 

Kris > Tao: I love you, always. 

Tao was lying on his back, groaning through a contraction. Squeezing his mom's hand. "I need Kris. I need him." He breathed out through gritted teeth. "Her dad needed to be here. He couldn't do this without Kris. He turned in the bed, crying out against his pillow. "I can't do this without him." 

Taos mom went to get his phone and handed it to Tao. He opened it and scrolled to Kris' number hovering over it. His water had broken, his contractions were close, she would be here before he arrived. Taos mom was gently stroking his hair. "Call him baby, his daughter is ready to come into the world. You'll feel better if you hear his voice. I know you still love him" 

Before Tao could decide a doctor came in and examined him. Everything was forgotten as they told Tao how it was progressing and that he'd be pushing soon. The pushing was hard, it hurt and he just wanted her in the world, he squeezed his moms hand tightly, other hand gripping the rail of his bed. God, he wished it was Kris hand he was holding. He could hear them telling him it was only one more push, and he managed to find the strength, his daughter coming into the world with a cry.

When she was put into his arms he cried, he cried as he looked at the little girl he'd made with Kris. His heart hurt that Kris wasn't here to look at their little girl taking her first breath, her first cry, the way she drunk from her first bottle. He took photos, his mom took photos and he tried to think of the good parts of all of this. He was still in love with her father, which he guessed would make for the best stories to tell her as she grew up. 

He'd had to get stitches so he was in hospital a bit longer, but he loved being her parent. He'd learnt quickly, how to feed her, change her, care for her needs. She was gorgeous and he was going to protect her with his life. He wished Kris was here to help him and God it would be cute to see him holding her but this was what was best. He didnt want Kris to hate either of them or ruin his career, he still wrote Kris down as the father and used his surname for the little girl, Meixing. Wu Meixing. His baby girl. Their baby girl. He took her home and it wasn't easy, but she was his, theirs, she was perfect.

He had just settled Meixing into a routine - well almost, it mostly him trying to settle her into a routine. He was sat on the sofa, with the tv on while he was bottle feeding the baby. He bit his lip when he saw Kris on the news, he was talking about his new movie coming out - and the touring he was doing to promote it. Tao had seen that Kris had won awards but this film sounded like a big deal. Meixing had stopped suckling on the bottle and was looking at the tv as if she knew. "I know baby, your daddy is looking thin, he's just been working really hard, he gets obsessed sometimes." He sighed, almost feeling guilty he wasn't there to remind Kris to take a break. He gently adjusted the girls blanket, smiling when she made a small sound. "I know, but your daddy just got a big role, I will call him after."

After never came, Kris went from movie to movie, releasing some music and even breaking Hollywood. Tao kept telling himself that next year, after the next movie, after the next promotion, but as time went on it got increasingly more difficult. Tao moved to Shanghai when Meixing was four, which moved her to new a pre-school where he made friends, and so did she. He settled in well to life in Shanghai, he did really love it, seeing his little girl excel and his job in the publishing company was going well. He felt settled, but his missed Kris still, he found himself setting a Baidu alert for Kris, and following everything about him. 

By the time Meixing was six, Tao was still promising himself that he would tell Kris the next year, but he was realistic enough to know that he was not sure he could tell him. He knew Meixing deserved to know her other dad, and that in turn Kris deserved to know the daughter he fathered. Tao just did not know how, and also if Kris had changed his number - what was he supposed to, just text him, hi it's been six years but so you know you have a little girl. He just tried to live his life and raise her as best as he could on his own. 

It was however, not to be. Tao saw Kris and froze, he had never expected to see the man again, especially not here, in shanghai. His hand holding his daughters tightened, he was not prepared for this. He just wasn't prepared for the other to be in his life again so soon. "Zitao?" 

"No?" 

"Really Zitao, you're going to pretend you don't recognise me?" 

"I'm not Zitao." 

"You're still a terrible liar I see."

"Daddy." came a small voice, Tao turned to the girl and crouched down. 

"I know princess, you go play over with the other kids." He said letting her go and then straightened to look at Kris. "I would love to stay and chat but I can't." 

"I can talk another time. It seems we're overdue a talk." Kris said looking at Tao. "I mean I can recognise my own kid Zitao. Or are you going to attempt another lie?" 

"Not here Kris. Like I said I have to go, it's a parents meeting." Tao sighed, "My wechat is Ztao. Add me. We can arrange something." 

"So you do recognise me." He said flatly. Tao said nothing, "I'll message you." Kris said walking past him, shoulder bumping into Tao's as he walked passed him. Tao ordered an iced latte for himself and an apple juice for Meixing. He sat down at the table and gave Luhan and Yixing a small smile. They were also dads in his daughters school. Luhan had a son and Yixing had a son and a daughter in the same class as Meixing. He took a sip of his latte, trying to ignore the looks. 

"Was that Kris Wu?" Yixing said with a little smile. "Like the actor, and like the father of your kid." 

"Yixing." Luhan elbowed their friend. 

"What? C'mon even your wife must fancy him. He's hot, and tall, and hot." Yixing said with a small laugh. "I mean of course we would never go there seeing as he's the father of your baby and you still love him." Yixing said quietly. 

"He saw her." Tao said looking over at Meixing, "he knows she's his." 

"And?" Luhan said looking at Tao. "Oh.. Tao, you haven't been keeping her a secret have you?" Tao just nodded, "why didn't you tell him about your baby. All this time I was under the impression that he'd rejected you two. I boycotted his movies!!" 

"His manager found out I was pregnant and convinced me not to tell anyone. So I told no one in Korea and ran away. And now he's here and he saw her and he knows." Tao felt like he was going to cry. "And he wants to talk." 

"Hey that's a good thing." Luhan said trying to encourage the other, "if he didn't care then he'd have just ignored you both." 

"I can't talk to him." 

"You can TaoTao, you always told us, you kept all those memories so you could show him one day." 

"One day when I was ready. When I'd told Mei more about her dad, and when she was older and when I was older. When I'd stopped loving him." Tao looked at his drink. "Because I ruined us when I left Korea and I can't, looking at him still hurts." 

"Tao." Yixing said quietly, "my husband and I had a fight where he ran away back to Korea but we made up." 

"Yes, but he wasn't pregnant and he didn't run away and have your kid in secret for six years." Tao tried not to raise his voice. "I made an unforgivable mistake and you know that." 

"TaoTao." Luhan said softly, "you and Mei are going to be okay, I promise. You have to hear him out. He is her father, and you might be surprised." 

Tao took a slow breath, watching his daughter play with her friends. "She looks so much like him, and she reminds me of him so much." He took a small sip of his drink. "I spent my whole pregnancy and the whole of these six years, wishing he was here with us but now he is, I'm scared." 

"I love you Tao." Yixing said, "I know you have made mistakes, but your daughter deserves it. She deserves her dad in her life." 

Tao looked at Meixing and nodded, "I know, I will talk to him. I guess I have no choice now." 

Tao was nervous, he'd texted with Kris and they'd decided to meet at Tao's place because he couldn't leave the girl by herself. He had put Meixing to sleep not wanting her to see or hear anything that was about to happen. He wanted to look after the little girl first, and he was not going to introduce her to Kris while he was still angry about everything. He wanted to keep her as far away from the mess of their relationship, he wanted to at least have some of it worked out. He answered the door when Kris knocked, he hated that Kris could look so outstanding still, he missed him, he wished he could show him that he'd never stopped loving him. "Did you get here okay?" 

"Yes." Kris said, eyes scanning over the apartment, Tao thought he'd furnished it quite nicely but maybe Kris thought otherwise. "Nice place you have. Tidy." 

"I cleaned up before you came, quite often there are toys everywhere." Tao said bringing the other into the apartment and offering for him to sit on the sofa, "Do you want a drink?" 

"Not really Zitao." Kris said looking at the other on the sofa as he sat with him.

"Kris." Tao said, he needed to just jump in and get it over with. "What do you want to say?" 

"Were you never going to tell me that we have a daughter?" 

"Kris." Tao said quietly, not sure his resolve could hold up. "She's sleeping in her room now, can you keep it down?" 

"You want me to be calm knowing you ran away with our baby and never told me" 

"Please." He said quietly. "Kris, don't wake her. She gets really grumpy when she doesn't get enough sleep." He took a slow breath, "I'm sorry. Really I am. I wanted you by my side the whole pregnancy." Tao said biting his lip. "Your name is on her birth certificate, if you wanted to know. Her surname is Wu too." 

"Zitao." 

"I told her about her daddy. She doesn't know you as you, but she knows you, she has seen pictures of us together and she knows about you, knows that you're talented and that I had to leave, that is why her daddy isn't here. I told her you would want her." He took a soft breath, "I told her that her daddy-" he stopped, Kris was just looking at him. "Why are you looking at me like that?" 

"You _had_ to leave." Kris said quietly. "You didn't have to do anything. You didn't tell me you were pregnant. I'd have left everything behind, we could have come here, you picked a beautiful area of Shanghai. We could have had her and raised her here. We would have had it all. Instead my daughter had 6 years without her daddy. You took that away from both of us." 

"Kris." Tao said, feeling as lost as he had when he'd run away. "I had to." 

"You had to? You had to break my heart and run off with our baby? Was someone holding you at gun point?" 

"No, Kris, please, you don't understand. I love you. I never wanted to hurt you. That's why I did this." 

"Don't say you love me. It's my least favourite lie right now." 

"It's not a lie." Tao was on the verge of tears already and it was really starting to drive him crazy. He didn't want to tell the truth, but he was going to have no choice. "Your manager, he found out I was pregnant, he told me that if I told you that it would ruin your life. I was so scared, I didn't know what to do. I was pregnant and I was terrified Kris. I was so scared and I didn't want to ruin your life. He told me that you'd hate me." Tao was crying. 

Kris just looked at him. "Tao." 

"Please Kris, I was so scared. I was so afraid. I was on my way to tell you when he stopped me, and he convinced me you would either give up everything for me and her and then hate me for it. Or worse, you'd not want us." He wished he could stop crying because he wasn't trying to manipulate Kris into feeling bad for him. "It broke my heart, leaving you. I left and came home. I went to Qingdao and every day I wanted to call you, I wanted to tell you I was pregnant and that I needed you. I needed you so badly, but I just wanted to look after you. I didn't want to ruin your life." 

"It would never have ruined my life." Kris said quietly. "But this... this has ruined my past six years." 

"Kris." 

"Don't Tao, I'm not going to make you feel better about this. You knew me, and you knew I wanted kids and I wanted them with you. I wanted our baby. I wanted her and you kept her away from me." Kris said getting up from the sofa. "I will never forget that you did this to me." 

"Kris please." 

"Tao. I can't believe you did this to me." Kris paused, looking behind Tao. Tao turned and saw his, their, little girl stood holding her teddy. 

"Daddy." She said quietly. Tao got up and went to take her in his arms, kissing her forehead. 

"Bad dream baby?" He asked softly, Kris just watching as the girl held onto Tao. "You're okay now baby, daddy is here." He turned to look at Kris, "I'll just put her down." He said quietly. 

"I won't be here when you get back. I'll speak to my lawyers tomorrow." 

Tao took the girl into her room and gently lay her back in the bed, tucking her in and giving her a kiss to the top of the head. "I love you princess." 

"Why are you sad daddy?" the girl asked quietly. 

"Daddy just made a bad choice and it's hurt someone, and he never never wanted to hurt them." Tao said softly. "Sorry if Daddy woke you." 

"Tell me a story Daddy" Tao smiled and nodded. 

"Okay princess, which story?" 

"About my dad. please." Tao sighed, moving to sit on the bed with her. "Please." 

"Okay, so your dad," He said trying not to think of the fight they'd just had. "Well I met your dad in Seoul, which was weird because we're both Chinese, right?" He said with a smile that he had to put on for her. He didn't want her to know he just wanted to go to his own bed and cry until he fell asleep. "Well your dad was the tallest man in the room, which made him really easy to see. Which is how I know you're going to be super tall too. Maybe we should have you in basketball classes, he was good at that too." He wished Kris had stayed, not that he knew what he'd say after, he just didn't want lawyers involved. He knew it was stupid to think they could go back to before. He had done the worst thing he could imagine doing to someone to Kris. "He was very talented, your dad, he was very very good at his job and everyone liked him. I knew he was special from the moment he spoke to me, but we were just friends for a while. He helped me learn Korean and he took me to all the best food places. One day princess, I'll take you to see everything your dad showed me. I told him I was in love with him and he felt the same but we had to keep our love a secret. It was really hard for me, your dad's job meant he couldn't be seen with me and that hurt us both. Your dad wanted to eventually tell everyone about us but I was scared." 

"But you love my dad?" 

"Yes, I love your dad very very much. Even now. I will always love your dad." Tao took a deep breath, "but your dad... his job meant that if he told everyone about me, he might get fired and I never wanted that." He said softly. "I always wanted the best for your dad. Then we were blessed with you, but I had to leave so I could have you." Tao said quietly, "his boss was very angry but your dad loves you. He does. I can promise you if he could be here right now he would be the one telling our story." Tao smiled a little, "he'd probably tell it better. I miss your dad a lot princess, I promise you, you'll meet him soon. I heard he's coming to China soon." Tao pressed a kiss to her forehead and left, seeing Kris had left as he had told him he would. 

Tao > Kris: Please don't get lawyers involved. I'm sorry. Can we sort this out between us. I don't want her caught up in what's between us. 

Kris > Tao: You took her from me, all this time Tao. I want my lawyers involved. I want to make sure you can't do this to me again. 

Tao > Kris: I would never. I want her to know you. All I've ever wanted was for her to know her dad. 

Kris > Tao: You've known where to find him. All these years.

Tao > Kris: Please. I know I made mistakes. I thought I was doing the right thing for your career. I did it because I love you. Please Kris. I just want her to know you. If I could go back and change what happened I would. Don't make me say it over text please. I'm not going to say it to a lawyer. You know me. 

Kris > Tao: Fine. For now. 

Tao looked back at the room that belonged to his daughter. This was the best thing for her, even if it broke his heart seeing Kris and seeing how much Kris hated him for what happened. He could suck it up for her, he could make it some sort of right so she could be with the man who's DNA she shared. He knew deep down that Kris would let go of his anger when he got more involved in their daughter and could see that Tao really was not about to cut and run again but until he found a way to make Kris feel settled with this, he imagined it would burn like this. He wished his foolish heart had turned off it's love for Kris after these years because it hurt to see how much he'd hurt Kris and he knew that the older man did not understand him - and maybe he would not even let him explain. 

Tao spent that night restlessly, part of him imagining what their life could have been had he been brave when he was pregnant against what it was now. He felt like he was being torn apart, doing a bad thing is okay while no one knows what you did, but now Kris knew and his friends knew he'd tried to keep it from Kris, it was just awful. It was going to change the way everyone saw him. He was the kind of man who could keep something like this from the person they loved - and no one understood that it was not his first choice.

"Meixing is in school." Tao said when Kris walked into the apartment the next day. "I thought it would be better to talk and sort it all out before she is done and you can meet her after school if you want." Tao looked at Kris, reading his face. Kris nodded, "I will answer any questions you have. I knew this day would come." He took a slow breath, "I just want you to know that. I had planned for this." He moved to get a photo album from the coffee table. "I kept all of this, for you, to show you everything." 

Kris began opening the album and looking through the pictures, the pictures of Tao during his pregnancy, the photos of Meixing and him when she'd just been born. Kris stopped looking at the picture, "I wish I'd been there. How long?" 

"15 hours." Tao said quietly, "It's why I look exhausted. I spent all 15 of those hours wishing you were with me. I cried a lot, I wished I could call you. I almost called you four times." He said softly. "She was born on the 15th of December." 

"That year, I was at an awards show." Kris said quietly, eyes still on the picture staring. "I was at an awards show while my daughter was coming into this world." Tao felt crushed again, this hurt. He hated this, why had he not fought harder when he found out. 

"I'm sorry." 

"I would have left." Kris said looking at Tao. "You know that, right? If you'd called me from the hospital. I would have left the show and come straight away. I would have come for you, for her." Kris looked back at the photo. "I would have held your hand the whole time. I wish I had been there, to see her, to help you." 

"Kris." 

"You broke my heart when you left." He said absently, looking through the pictures, "I wish I had known about her, I can't believe I missed all these things." He had stopped on a photo of her, "She has your smile." 

"But your eyes and nose. She always reminds me of you." Tao said softly, "and she's tall for her age, she's athletic and funny and she's so bright. She makes me think of you every day. It's been hard." Tao said looking at Kris. "I know you don't want to hear it, but I didn't ever stop loving you. I left because I was scared, your manager told me you were going hate me and reject her, and I was frightened and he told me to leave. He told me I'd ruin your life and I was so young. I was just scared." 

"Zitao." Kris said softly. "I spoke to my manager last night." Tao was already ready to cry, and Kris shut the book, moving to take Tao's hand and give it a soft squeeze. "He told me the truth, I quit the company so he has nothing to gain from hiding what he did. He told me you were on your way to tell me. That he made you leave. He even bought your plane ticket. I understand Tao." 

"I regretted leaving every day. I just couldn't go back on my promise to your manager. I told him I'd stay out of your life. I promised not to ruin anything." He could feel the tears pricking his eyes, he did not want to cry again, to make Kris feel bad about anything - because in the end this was all his fault. "I promise, but I ruined it worse." 

"Stop it, Tao, please. We can sort it out." 

"I've told her about you. I didn't tell her you were an actor because kids wouldn't believe her, but I told her your name and how we met and she's seen pictures. She knows what you look like. I have never hid who her father was." 

"Are you sure you want me to meet her?" 

"Of course, you're her dad. I want her to know you. Even though I know it seems like I didn't." 

Kris nodded, "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. I know I must have made it harder." 

"I really don't want lawyers involved." Tao said quietly. "I don't want Meixing to know that I ran away. I told her I left because of your job. I told her that you love her." 

"Tao." Kris said softly. "I do, I love her. I loved her from the second we made her, even if I didn't know she existed. She's our baby girl." 

Tao nodded, "She is a bit shy at first." 

Kris smiled a little, "So she takes after you then." He was trying, and Tao knew he was probably still mad at him. He wanted to be with him - but he was pretty sure that that would never do. This was a first step to repairing what happened and to understanding each other again. It was easy for Tao to feel the love he did for Kris, but also he needed to see the other as a father, he needed to see how he was with their little girl. 

After a bit Tao got up, "Okay, I'm going to go get her, ready to meet your daughter?" Kris nodded, he looked nervous and Tao was sure it was because he was afraid that she would not love him, but he was sure she would. Meixing looked at the man when she came in, holding Tao's hand. Tao smiled, "Do you recognise the man?" He said with a little smile. "You've seen pictures of him and we talk about him a lot." Meixing nodded, looking at Kris, unable to take her eyes off of him. "Princess, this is your dad." Tao said moving to pick her up and walk over to where Kris was. Meixing was still staring at him, taking him in at once. Tao sat down, Meixing in his lap, eyes still on Kris, "Princess do you want to say anything to your dad?" She nodded and they waited for her to say something. Meixing rested her head on Tao's shoulder, still watching the other man. 

"Are you going to come a lot?" She asked quietly. "Daddy said you haven't come because of work." 

"Yes." Kris said confidently. "I had to be away for my job but I am done now, so I'm going to be around whenever you want me to be. I know that I missed a lot, your daddy has been trying to help me learn but maybe you want to tell me yourself. Daddy told me your good at sports, I was too when I was your age." 

Meixing nodded, "I'm the fastest in my year. Even faster than the boys." She moved so she was sat up again, "Daddy keeps telling me he's going to let me do basketball, I really want to." Kris smiled at the girl and nodded. 

"Hey, maybe I can teach you some things." Kris said with a warmth. "I was pretty good. Your daddy used to watch me play a lot." 

Meixing smiled, then looked at Tao. "Will you watch me too daddy?" 

"Of course princess, your dad was really good so of course if he teaches you you're going to be the best." Tao smiled, at his little girl. "Why don't you go do your homework with your dad and I'll cook okay?" 

Meixing smiled at her daddy and nodded, going to get her backpack from by the door. "Is dad staying for dinner?" she asked and Tao looked at Kris. 

"Sure. After we can go down to the apartment complex's courtyard and play basketball for a bit." Kris said with a huge smile. Tao wasn't sure if the little girl would have been accepting to her dad but she had taken to him better than he could ever have hoped for. He began to cook and looked over at the table seeing Meixing and Kris pouring over her practice, she was learning to write her name. He just wished that he could go back in time, and have had this from the first day. He also knew he and Kris weren't together. They were friends, or something. He didn't really know. He smiled listening to her tell her dad about her life, about things she liked and about school. Kris was trying his best to help her learn to write her name.

Things had settled into a routine, Kris came over frequently, getting involved in Meixing's life and now taking her to and from basketball practice. It had been an adjustment, but Tao could now say he was okay when Kris took their little girl, he wasn't mad about it. He loved her and him. Kris came back with Meixing, her in his arms, she was sleepy. Kris went to her bedroom, gently putting her down. "Get ready for bed princess." He said quietly. Meixing began getting changed while Kris put her things away. He then moved to pick her up and put her in the bed. Meixing looked up at her dad. "You're having a sleep over at mine on saturday, we can play basketball all day." 

"Ok dad. I love you." She said softly. 

"I love you too baby girl." Kris said, turning to leave and shutting the door so the girl could get ready. He smiled when he saw Tao. "Got any plans for your weekend off?" 

"Missing my princess." 

"Not got a date lined up?" Kris said as they sat down on Tao's sofa again. "You should find someone." 

"I don't want to talk about it Kris." Tao said, "I don't want to date. I have my hands full with Meixing" 

"You could date Tao, I'd take her so you could go on dates." 

"I don't want to Kris." Tao couldn't exactly say that he was still in love with Kris, that he'd never stopped for even a second. That having their daughter had only made him love Kris more. He sighed, "Just drop it Kris. I am okay. I don't want to find anyone." He wished Kris could read his mind and see that he still loved him. It was hard to keep loving Kris, knowing how much he'd messed up. Knowing the other would never forgive him. "What about you?" He asked, mouth dry. 

"No one. There hasn't been anyone since you broke my heart." 

"Kris." 

"It's okay Tao." Kris said with a small shrug, "I am sure you knew that from the hundreds of pleading texts I sent you." 

"It broke my heart too." 

Kris looked at his watch, "I'll go put our princess to bed, you just relax." 

Tao couldn't help but eavesdrop on Kris putting their daughter to sleep and the story he told her of how they fell in love "Dad." Meixing asked, as Kris finished his version of the story of how he met Tao and they fell in love. Kris looked at her and waited for her question. "Do you still love daddy?" 

"Yes, I do. I love your daddy a lot." 

"Then why aren't you two married like my friends parents?" 

"Ah, well, your daddy left because of my work, and I don't know if he loves me anymore. It's complicated." Kris said quietly. "Your daddy is my one in a million, but that's a secret between us right?" Kris said pressing a kiss to the top of the girls head. 

"Daddy loves you too. He always tells me when he tells the story about how you met." 

Kris came out of the room after she settled down and Tao was stood there, he was trying not to make it obvious that he'd herd everything, but he couldn't help it. "You still love me?" he said softly. 

"Yes. Even after you ran away and hid our daughter from me. I never stopped loving you." Kris said taking a step closer to Tao, who was just watching him. "I tried, to move on, but no one was you. I'd given up on finding someone, it was just fate that brought our paths back together." 

"I love you." Tao blurted out, Kris taking a step even closer, kissing Tao softly. Tao kissed back, his mouth hadn't forgotten what it was like to kiss him. Arms around the others shoulders, leaning up into the kiss. Kris' hair was longer than when they'd been together in the past and one of his hands went to play with it, as they kissed. Kris stayed close breaking the kiss gently. Tao couldn't help himself, leaning to close the gap again and kiss him again. Tao kept close, Kris arms around him was all he needed. He kept him close, they shared a few more soft kisses, Tao trying not to get carried away in this idea. 

"I shouldn't have done that" Kris said as they parted. "This doesn't change what you did to me Tao." Tao looked at him, trying not to look hurt - he knew he had no right to, he knew he deserved this. "I love you, yes, but I don't think I can do us again." 

Tao nodded, "I-" he felt ridiculous, he felt like a complete fool for even hoping that they could be fixed and that it wasn't completely over. "I love you too." He said managed to say, unable to stop a few tears escaping, they were still close to each other, and Kris moved to wipe them away. 

"I want to focus on us co-parenting." Kris said softly. "I don't want-"

"Me, you don't want me, you just want her." Tao said stepping back a little, "I get it, I was the one who ran away. Just, can you leave, please. I think I've embarrassed myself enough." Tao said turning his back to Kris, and walking towards his own room. "I'll see you this friday when you pick her up for basketball." 

"Zitao." 

"Yifan." Tao turned around, "please, can you just go. You kissed me and then rejected me so can you just leave." 

"Zitao." 

"Stop. Yifan. Kris. Just stop, nothing you can say will make me feel any better." Kris just nodded and left without another word, Tao going into his room to shut the door and cry until he fell asleep again. He knew it was his fault, he was the one who had done this to them, he had made it so Kris regretted still being in love with him and he was foolish to think that co-parenting would mean that Kris would take him back. 

Things settled into a routine, they were amicable, they were friends, friends who shared longing looks with each other and Tao wished he could just slip his hand into Kris' when they were sat at parents evenings. Although Kris company were killing any story relating to his daughter - because Kris was not ready for the world to know about Meixing and Tao, he wanted to keep them out of the public eye for as long as he could, Meixing's friends were getting old enough to be seeing the movies Kris was in - and he still filmed movies. 

It was Meixing's tenth birthday, and they had had a big party the weekend before, with all of her friends coming for a basketball themed party, which had honestly left Tao wishing he could sleep for twenty years and had resulted in him and Kris laughing as they shared a piece of cake talking about how big their little girl was now and about how much she had grown. Kris laughed, feeding Tao, "How is she so grown up?" 

"I know it's really unfair." Tao said with a little pout, leaning on Kris a little. "We made such a beautiful girl, but I really don't want her to grow up." 

"Just you wait until she's fourteen and giving us attitude all the time." Kris said softly, "she's such an amazing kid." 

"She makes me so proud." Tao smiled, resting his head on the older man, they were content like this, "My parents are gonna visit next week, want to join us for dinner?" 

"So your dad can remind me the honourable thing to do is marry someone when you get them pregnant?" Kris said with a little laugh, "He knows you were the one who meant I didn't do it then." 

"He found it hard to accept when I came home from Korea pregnant and a complete mess." 

"Mhm, so not much has changed right?" Kris teased. 

"So mean." Tao pouted, "I am the one who brings the snacks for her team on game days." 

"mhm, you do. Her coach thinks we're together." Kris said absently. "Your dad seems to think I'm waiting to defile you again." 

"My dad would probably be very pleased to hear it's been a long time since anyone could have given Mei a sibling." Tao laughed a little. "It's sort of a side effect of not getting over your first love." 

"Yeah, I know what you mean. It's hard when you're pretty sure your first love is the person you're meant to marry." Kris said, hand slipping slightly, to take Tao's. "You know it's always been you." 

"Don't joke Kris, it's not funny." 

"No, Tao, that night where we kissed, everything about Mei was so new, she was new to me and you had kept her from me and I loved you so much but I hated you in equal measure." Kris said softly, it hurt to hear him say that but Tao knew that he deserved it all. "I called my mom after I met her, and told her she had a granddaughter and she blamed me, you know, that you'd left because you felt afraid of me, and then I thought about what would have happened, how it would have destroyed my career, and while I would never have regretted it, I would have always loved you and her, I am in a position now where I can care for you the way you both deserve. I understand, why you ran, we were young, and I couldn't even begin to imagine what it must have been like to be told I would abandon you - which I would never do." Kris gave Tao's hand a squeeze. "As time has gone on that wound is shrinking, I can't forget what you did, I will never forget those six years you took from me and from Mei - but I am saying I can forgive. We can move past it, because you were scared and hormonal and we were so young and you did what you thought was right and because I love you more everyday, I love you more now than I did when we conceived her, I love you so much that no one could ever compare. I guess what I'm saying is, you are the great love of my life. My soulmate." 

"Kris." 

"Oh and I'm for sure telling your dad I'm planning to get you pregnant again and live in sin and not marry you." 

"Kris!" Tao whined at the other teasing him, but still moved so the man could give him a kiss. "I've always known you were the man I was meant to be with" Tao said quietly, before turning back to look out at the party. The party came to a close and Yixing couldn't help himself but tease Tao about the kissing he'd seen between the pair and the way that Kris had been holding Tao. 

Kris did in fact, tell Tao's parents they were back together, but he told him that he intended to take responsibility for his family and would propose to Tao when the time was right, which seemed to satisfy Tao's parents enough. It was strange to think that they were back where they'd left off, it was weird to be able to love each other openly again, Tao was unable to hold his smile back. 

Tao couldn't hide his excitement when Yixing asked if Meixing wanted to come for a sleepover with his daughter on valentines day. Yixing nudged Tao, "Oh so you have plans for valentines day?" 

"Xing!" Tao feigned some sort of shock at the others comments, "Is it so wrong that I want some dad time with Kris? I've been back with my boyfriend and father of my daughter for two months and haven't sealed the deal yet, and you've seen that man, he's even sexier now I know he's such a good dad." 

"You've not done it yet?" 

"I mean, of course we did when we were younger, but not since we got back together, we have other responsibilities, and Mei knows we're together and she loves doing things with the both of us and now sometimes her dad sleeps over instead of her going to his - but we haven't had time." 

"Not even for a quickie?" Yixing raised a brow, "I am surprised you're not ripping his clothes off the second she goes to bed." 

"She has nightmares and comes into our room." Tao said flatly, "and I'm not going to give her more nightmares." 

"Don't you worry, you romance your man and enjoy your time, I will look after Mei, I think my Zhilan has her first crush so I think they want to gossip about actors or something." 

"Oh Mei is obsessed with one of Kris' costars, which is... fun." Tao rolled his eyes a little, "so I'm sure they'll be talking about boys all night." 

Tao lay in the bed, kissing Kris again quickly. "I love you." He breathed, slipping his leg around Kris' hip, getting close to him. "Just as good as I remember." he teased, Kris laughed a little, against the soft kisses he was giving Tao. "I haven't- with anyone else, so it's been a while." 

"Stop making excuses, you were good Zitao. You know it's about feelings for me." Kris ran a hand up Tao's thigh. "I love you so much." Kris said kissing Tao again. "I never thought I'd be so glad for girls sleepovers." 

"Mhm, we did have a very nice date didn't we?" Tao smiled, "I mean, is it weird to be dating? We were together two years before everything and we have a ten year old." He shifted, running his hand through Kris' hair. "We love each other, do you think it would be too soon for you to move in, to make our family a whole?" Tao tensed, "Okay. I get it. I'm rushing. I just love you and-" Kris stopped him taking with a kiss. 

"Please let me finish. Tao, I love you and MeiMei so much, but I don't want to move in until we tell her that me and you are together and see if she would want me to come live with you two, like all her friends parents." 

Tao nodded, hand stroking Kris' hair again, "Kris, just when I thought I couldn't love you more, but involving our princess in this just means so much to me." 

"Oh baby boy, you and her and the most important things to me. You do know if I move in, I should make a press release about my very gorgeous boyfriend and our perfect ten year old daughter." He took a slow breath, "I'd get to bring you to events and I wouldn't just keep having to leave you two." They'd been talking about this since New Year's Eve where Kris had had to go to an event and leave Tao behind, and they'd spent the whole night complaining about being apart. Kris also didn't see the point of lying anymore, he'd told Tao that lying and hiding had gotten them into this mess, so why continue. 

A few days later they decided it was time "Princess, your dad and I wanna talk to you about something." Tao said, signalling for her to sit between them, the girl sat down and smiled at both her dads.

"Do you remember when you asked me about me and your daddy not being married when we loved each other?" Kris said softly and the girl nodded, "Well, would you like it if me and your daddy did live together?" 

"Dad wants to know if you'd be happy if he lived here with us princess." Tao asked their daughter. 

"When are you coming to live with us dad?" Meixing asked. "Are you going to get married?" 

"I hope daddy will marry me." Kris said with a little smile, "But first I'm gonna come live with you guys. I miss you both too much when I go home." 

Meixing nodded, "I miss you too dad. Are you staying now?" 

"Yeah baby, I'm going to spend the night here and every night after."

"So I get to beat you at shootouts every day?" Meixing smiled, getting up off of the sofa, "cool, I'm gonna go grab my trainers and we can start my winning streak now." 

Kris laughed and got up, and Tao felt his heart swell watching the two leave to go play at the apartment complexes basketball hoop. How had he gotten so lucky to have a complete family, with the man he loved and their daughter. He wished he could go back and tell his past self that it would be okay, that he could trust Kris, to ignore the manager and follow his heart because this was his favourite view in the world. 

Tao woke up one night to hear Kris speaking in a soft voice. "Mei, what's wrong?" 

"Bad dream." She mumbled and he got up, picking her up and holding her close to him.

"It's okay dad is here. We should let daddy sleep right?" He said as he took her into the kitchen, sitting her on the counter and pouring her a cup of water. "Want to tell me about it?" Tao sat in the bed eavesdropping on them in the kitchen, heart warmed listening to Kris telling Mei that it would be okay, and that if she wanted he could come and lie in her room until she fell asleep. Tao was worried that his ten year old was still so easily scared, he was afraid that her nightmares were unusual, some people thought that kids should look after themselves in the night but he was so glad that Kris was protecting her, even from things that weren't real. 

Kris got back into bed after a bit, Tao shifted, pretending to have been asleep, moving to cuddle into to Kris. "Is she okay?" He mumbled, pressing a soft kiss to Kris' neck. 

"Mhm, she's okay. Just a bad dream." He said pulling Tao a little closer. "We were trying to let you sleep." 

"She told me she wants a little brother." Tao mumbled. 

"I love you Zitao, but do you want to have another baby?" He asked softly. 

"The one child policy allows us to have a second." Tao said eyes still closed. "I'm a one, and you're Chinese-Canadian. We qualify for a second, and Mei is a girl." 

"Doesn't answer my question Tao. Do you want another one?"

"I love you." Tao said moving, eyes open now, looking awake. "I want to have another baby with you." He said quietly. "I want to do it right this time. You at all the scans, and the birth, and that makes me feel good, the idea of us doing it together. But what if it makes you feel distanced from Mei." Kris looked at Tao. 

"Baby, I won't ever feel distanced from her. She's mine, and we'll have Mei involved too, her first time holding her little brother or sister, imagine that. I love you both so much." 

"How you always know how to make me feel better?" Tao pouted a little, "We can start working on her sibling after our wedding. I'm not being chunky on our wedding day." 

"You wouldn't be chunky, you'd be pregnant and gorgeous. I saw the photos of you while you were pregnant with Mei." 

"I'm not being pregnant on our wedding day." Tao said again.

"We're not engaged." Kris said with a laugh. 

"If you got me pregnant again you'd propose." Tao huffed. "Or I'll run away again." 

"Zitao~ that's not funny." Kris huffed, "your dad would kill me before you got the chance to run away." 

"I'm not kidding." Tao hummed, "although you might be right, my dad would kill you if we weren't married this time." 

"You know I want to marry you Huang Zitao." 

"Mhm, but it is nice to have a ring." Tao pressed a kiss to Kris' lips. "But a ring can wait. We're not making another baby just yet and the press release goes live tomorrow." Tao said quietly, "everything changes then, and we can do it together." He felt confident that this was his forever. Their forever.


End file.
